NYCFC falls late to Seattle, drops to 5th seed for MLS playoffs

New York City FC (NYCFC) failed to seize an opportunity against the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night to finish in the top four on the MLS Eastern Conference at Citi Field. The Boys in Blue fell 2-1 to a late Jackson Ragen header.

Ragen rose above the melee in the penalty box in the 87th minute to head home the winner for the Sounders. After conceding a sixth corner, NYCFC’s defenders could not mark Ragen tightly enough, allowing the center back to rise above everyone else and meet the out-swining corner from Danny Leyva.

“It's probably the tallest guy on the pitch in a physical duel with the shortest guy on the pitch, and he lost it,” head coach Pascal Jansen told amNew York after the match. “For us, the way we played today and getting a draw, that would be the max for today, I think.”